Unmasking Pulwama and Balakot: India’s Unsubstantiated Claims
Syeda Duaa Naqvi
In the aftermath of incidents occurring within India, the primary responsibility of the state, government, and law enforcement agencies is to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root causes. However, the approach taken in India seems to differ, as there is a tendency to immediately attribute blame to Pakistan. This pattern is observed in the reactions of the Indian public, government, intelligence agencies, and media, where Pakistan is often implicated even in minor incidents. Even though the former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, recently admitted that there isn’t strong evidence supporting the success of the 2019 Balakot strikes, the Indian government and media still blame Pakistan for the strikes without enough proof. Hence, it is substantiated by a recent confession that the Indian government, particularly the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been involved in conducting propaganda campaigns through social media. These campaigns have been strategically designed to reinforce a narrative that defames Pakistan and tarnishes its reputation in the eyes of the world.
On February 14th, 2019 a suicide attack on Indian military convoy in Pulwama, at JammuSrinagar highway which killed 40, personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The responsibility for the attack had claimed by the banned terror outfit Jaish-Muhammad (JeM). The Pulwama attack energized PM Modi to blamed directly on Pakistan. BJP supporters launched a social media campaign attacking Pakistan and calling Modi as a tiger. For many Indians, humiliating Pakistan is more important than winning a war. In response, former PM Imran Khan of Pakistan denied involvement in the Pulwama attack and vowed to take action if India provided proof, while assuring a befitting reply to any misadventure against Pakistan.
The Pulwama attack led to Indian airstrikes in Balakot, which India claimed killed terrorists but provided no official figures. Indian media reported the killing of 300 terrorists without official confirmation, leading to confusion and misinformation. The situation escalated with an Indian fighter jet being shot down by Pakistani forces and its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, being captured and later released. Prime Minister Modi and the BJP capitalized on the Pulwama and Balakot incidents during election campaigns, leveraging them to secure a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections.
After the Pulwama and Balakot incident Indian media played unprofessional, irresponsible, negative and aggressive role, which took two nuclear arms states to the brink of war. The international media also highlighted the Indian media’s role in diverting attention from important issues such as government failures and the Rafale deal scam, instead focusing solely on the narratives of Pulwama and Balakot. The role of Indian media after Pulwama left serious reservations whether Indian media had engaged in journalism or engaged in the propagation of Hindu nationalist ideology.
Recently, Ajay Bisaria, former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, has made significant revelations during an interview with The Wire that undermine India’s claims of success in the 2019 Balakot strikes. Bisaria admitted that India lacks concrete evidence to support its assertions, highlighting the absence of proof for the targets allegedly hit in Balakot. These admissions from a senior Indian diplomat, combined with suspicions about the timing of Bisaria’s book release, raise concerns about India’s manipulation of the media narrative. The interview also touched on the Pulwama attack and the role of the BJP government in shaping the discourse, indicating a potential effort to present Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a strong leader, capable of making bold decisions. This interview underscores the challenges of uncovering the complete truth under the current government, as any information that questions India’s competence or challenges the stated success of the Balakot operation is unlikely to be officially disclosed.
The proliferation of state-led misinformation campaigns represents a recent phenomenon in the modern world. India has been involved in disseminating millions of fake news stories against Pakistan, which were exposed by the EU DisinfoLab. This revelation shed light on the Indian government’s involvement in planned a network of fabricated news aimed at influencing global opinion against Pakistan and in favor of India. Mikel Kugelman has emphasized that fake news has emerged as a new battleground in the ongoing rivalry between India and Pakistan. Modi’s anti-Pakistan rhetoric bolstered his grip on power, but doubts linger; growing anti-Modi voices suspect exaggeration for diversion.
Despite the passage of four years since the Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot strikes, India has yet to provide substantial evidence to Pakistan, opting instead to persistently blame and defame them. There is a growing belief that the Pulwama attack was a state-sponsored and meticulously planned operation under the supervision of Prime Minister Modi. Indian Congress Leader Udit Raj has even accused Modi of being “power-hungry” and responsible for planned the attack. It appears that Modi and Amit Shah prioritize their own political interests and electoral gains over the nation’s peace and stability, fully aware that any missteps or miscalculations on their part could have dire consequences for the entire region. Despite the recent confession by former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, acknowledging the lack of strong evidence supporting the success of the Balakot strikes, the Indian government and media persist in blaming Pakistan without presenting sufficient proof, further damaging Pakistan’s reputation in the eyes of the international community. The Indian government seeks to shape public opinion and create a negative perception of Pakistan on a global scale.